I’m flying out Sunday via Alaska Air, taking the direct flight from Orlando to Seattle, arriving at 11:40 am. If you’re there about the same time and want to share a ride in, email me. I’m staying at the Sheraton only because that’s where the Board stays, otherwise I’ve always preferred a hotel a few blocks away, I like the 3-4 block to/from “work” every day to unwind. Maybe I’ll just walk around the block to accomplish the same!

Don Gabor is coming in Sunday afternoon and we’re planning to have dinner and chat, and if you’re in Seattle and want to join us, drop me an email. Not sure where dinner will be, but someplace between the Sheraton and the water front. In between I’ll check in with PASS HQ and see how things are going, and probably just see who I run into.

On Monday I’ll be in the volunteer session in the afternoon and then in Don’s networking seminar from 4:30-6:30. Then it’s off to the opening reception, and then the SSC party, where Steve makes me pay $30 to get in!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I’ll be present for the keynote (rarely the best part of the day in my view), and I’m going to go to a few sessions, with a focus on seeing speakers that I have not seen before. I’m going to try to be there for lunch on Tues & Wed to network and facilitate networking. The food is ok, but usually I’m ready for a walk and something besides convention center food – we’ll see. Thursday having lunch with a friend. I’ve left evenings open so far, I’ll probably hit the expo Tuesday night, and other than that will see what else comes up.

Tuesday at lunch I'll be hosting one of the Birds of a Feather (BOF) sessions titled 'When and How to Participate in the SQL Server Community'. I hope you'll join me for lunch and discussion!

Friday I have a board meeting in the morning, and then fly out at a fairly horrible 10:30 pm on Delta to eventually make it back to Orlando at 9 am the next morning. Long flight, long week!

Want to talk blogs, SQL, woodworking, PASS, SQLSaturday, mentoring, careers, family, business? Or pretty much anything else other than politics? I won’t be too hard to find, very often it’ll be at the top of the escalator on the session floor or at the coffee shop on the third floor, or somewhere in between. Email me, or try me on Twitter @SQLAndy – though be warned I’m new to Twitter and could easily get it wrong. I’m going to set a goal of meeting 50 people that I don’t know. Is that a impossible, or too easy? Don’t know, but it’s a start.

I'm Andy Warren, currently a SQL Server trainer with End to End Training. Over the past few years I've been a developer, DBA, and IT Director. I was one of the original founders of SQLServerCentral.com and helped grow that community from zero to about 300k members before deciding to move on to other ventures.

Comments

Posted by edwisdahl on 28 October 2009

I think you'll meet 50 new people the first day. It should be pretty easy with the networking seminar and the following opening reception!

Of course, that's not to say it isn't a good goal.

Posted by Steve Jones on 28 October 2009

Ha, $30? Board members get in free. And I think you have, too, the last few years :)

Posted by Andy Warren on 28 October 2009

Eric, I agree I have high hopes, but I already know a pretty good number of the seminar attendees (networked them into attending!), but the reception should be a great time to practice.

Posted by Jack Corbett on 28 October 2009

Steve,

Wow, now there's a reason to run for the BOD.

Andy,

So do people I "know" online count as new?

Posted by Don Gabor on 28 October 2009

Andy,

I'm looking forward to dinner Sunday evening and meeting everyone.

Ed, Your right, meeting 50 people is a great goal--along with remembering their names! Of course, you want them to remember you, too!

Steve, where do I pay my $30 for the SSC party?

Jack, "knowing" people online does count and makes it easier when making contact with them for the first time in person.

Don Gabor

Posted by Tim Mitchell on 28 October 2009

I'd be interested in joining you and Don for dinner on Sunday. I've got a later arrival (6pm).

Posted by Andy Warren on 28 October 2009

Welcome to join us! Call/text when you get there, we'll see what's going on. Might be along the lines of www.youtube.com/watch

Posted by Jack Corbett on 28 October 2009

Since I',m arriving on the same flight as Tim, I'll probably join you as well.